Many objects feature one or more blind slide-mount expedients, such as keyholes, to enable attachment of the object to a surface such as a wall, underside of a desk, inside of a cabinet, and the like. Each such expedient is generally adapted to receive a portion of a fastener extending outward of the surface to which the object is removably mounted. Alignment of such fasteners on the mounting surface is typically accomplished by using either a mount-hole template or by manually measuring, in the case of two or more slide-mounts, the distance between the object slide-mounts.
While a template provides good accuracy, there are often cases where an object needs to be re-mounted and the original template is no longer available or the manufacturer never provided a template in the first place. This generally results in the need to develop a new template via drawing or copy machine, or use of measurements, in the case of two or more slide-mounts requiring the distance-between-holes measurement method.
The distance-between-holes method is tedious and prone to error, particularly if in areas difficult to see/reach. And if the mount holes on the attachment surface are off even slightly, the object will fail to mount.
Further, neither of the aforementioned conventional methods takes into account the physical 3-dimensional characteristics of the object to be mounted, or to other nearby items that can affect the object's fit or appearance once the object is mounted. By way of example for the former, take the case of a power strip that has its power cord extending from one end. If this is not taken into account during the fastener alignment process, the fastener locations can result in the power strip not being mountable because the power cord would interfere with a nearby obstruction. As an example of the latter, the mount holes may be located to be perfectly level, but a nearby object that is not perfectly level may result in an undesirable mounted appearance.
There are also many objects, such as certain picture frames, that do not come with any mount system, or come with a mount system that requires measurement. And for objects with a single mounting point (e.g., picture wire), there is the continuous battle with being “crooked”. Keyhole mount adaptors are available to be affixed to an object for mounting, the use of 2 which would be beneficial for an always-hanging-as-mounted outcome. However, they are typically not used. The reason has to do with the critical nature of placement of the adapter(s) and associated difficulty in accurately determining the mounting hardware locations; for two or more add-on adapters it is extremely difficult to get the mount hole locations correct, leading to the potential for the object to hang with some amount of permanent undesired angle. Additionally, conventional keyhole mount adaptors have a single linear slot which leaves the mounted object susceptible to dismounting from the mounting surface by uniaxial movement of the object, caused by an earthquake or the like. Depending upon the mounting location, the resulting falling object may present a significant risk to personal safety or damage to the object.
What is needed is an inexpensive, reliable, and easy-to-use apparatus, kit and method to facilitate the aligned mounting of objects having keyhole or other slide mount features. What is also needed is an improved keyhole or other slide mount adapter which can be affixed to an object and which significantly reduces the chance of that object becoming dismounted as a result of random movement of the object or mounting surface.